New Spurs boss preparing double swoop.
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New Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is prepared to do his first business of the summer in the transfer market with a £30m double raid on Benfica pair Nicolas Gaitan and Enzo Perez, CaughtOffside understands.
The Argentine, who recently made the move to White Hart Lane after impressing in a spell in charge of Southampton, has identified two of his fellow countrymen as ideal signings to start work at revamping the Spurs squad in preparation for next season.
With many of Tottenham’s big-name signings from last summer failing to pay off, it could be that the likes of Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli are shipped off as part of the rebuilding process, with Pochettino keen to put his own stamp on the team by bringing in his own players.
While there has been some talk that the 42-year-old could make a raid on his old club Southampton for some of their top talent, his immediate priority appears to be on two of Benfica’s star players in Gaitan and Perez, both of whom were important members of the team that won the title in Portugal this season as well as making it to the final of the Europa League.
26-year-old winger Gaitan has long been linked with a move to a bigger club after impressing with Benfica in recent years, with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool known to be among his admirers, but he could prove a great signing for Tottenham to help fill the void still left by Gareth Bale, who moved to Real Madrid last summer.
Gaitan’s skill, technique and eye for goal should make him a hit at White Hart Lane, and it is likely that he will command a fee of around £20m, which Spurs are willing to pay to bring him to north London.
Perez, meanwhile, would cost an additional £10m, and is more of a defensive midfield player who could be brought in with the view that the likes of Etienne Capoue and Sandro may be sold in the coming months after their struggles to reach top form under Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood this season.
The 28-year-old has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Valencia in recent months, and his fine form has also seen him earn a call-up to Argentina’s squad for this summer’s World Cup.
This potential deal will represent another major blow for Benfica, who have lost big names such as Nemanja Matic in recent times and who could still see the likes of Ezequiel Garay and Rodrigo leave this summer.
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